An Entierly Different Show, And Not For The Better
Let me start by saying Ever Night season 1 was and still is my favorite wuxia drama of all time. I've never been more disappointed and let down by a season 2. If this didn't have the name "Ever Night" on it and Irenie Song, I would have dropped this after a few episodes.I don't know what happened between seasons 1 and 2, maybe it was cost issues, or investors/sponsors pushing them to finish fast and cheap, maybe there wasn't enough story to tell to fill a season 2, or filming schedules and conflicts and having to replace a significant amount of the cast, maybe the censors and govt got involved to change the story... I have no idea. All I know is season 2 is like an entirely different show, and not for the better.
First of all, the recasting of the ML with Dylan Wang. This was a jarring choice. He is a very different actor from Chen Fei Yu and therefore a very different character from season 1. This dramatic change could have been minimized had they kept the same production style and feel from the first season. Even if they just kept the same storylines and plot from season 1, Dylan Wang could have eventually made a decent run with his own version of Ning Que, but neither of those was left intact.
Those weren't the only changes. Gone is the lush and cinematic camerawork from season 1. That vast and expansive world full of interesting locations and eclectic characters they built up in the previous season? Gone. Now we only have a few characters and are limited to a few locations, often only seen in small sets. Remember those dynamic and exhilarating fight scenes? Those are gone too. Now we have generic wuxia from the 90's style, with cheap-looking VFX.
Not to mention a significant portion of the cast, several of them major players from season 1 were recast. Not only were the actors different but their character's personalities changed as well. Even the actors they managed to keep from season 1 behave like they're from some bizarre alternate universe. I think this leads to the biggest issue of Ever Night season 2: the writing. The writing is atrocious. I honestly feel bad for the actors. It's as if the writers wrote out all the dialogue of what needed to be said, then randomly distributed the lines to different characters. They aren't saying things the characters would say, they're just reading lines. Not only is the dialogue noncorporeal, awkward and unusual, but they also use this terrible dialogue to fill long and drawn-out scenes, often shot in a small 1 room set with just 2 actors spewing exposition at each other, most of it full of unnecessary or repeated information that does nothing to move the plot forward. There were many episodes full of them with just scene after scene of 2 people in a room talking about nothing. I get that this is a cost-saving measure and a tool to stretch a thin plot but this was painfully dull and excruciating to get through. This basically takes up 60-70% of season 2 so brace yourself.
The overall plot also falls victim to odd and nonsensical choices. Characters do things completely out of character, sometimes even with no explainable motivation. They just do things abruptly without reason. Instances happen just to happen. There's an entire arc of 5-10 episodes that could be completely taken out without any consequence to the characters or story. It's like some useless side quest in a game. And the decision to spend a large amount of time with an entirely new actor and character is questionable. Spending long stretches of the season with the ML and FL apart from each other is baffling. Not continuing any of the previously set-up storylines from season 1 and giving us ridiculous narratives that don't go anywhere? Ludicrous. I could say more but that would wander into spoiler territory. I think you get the idea.
I hate to be entirely negative so let me highlight what I did like. Ireine Song. I could watch her watch paint dry. She is the lone saving grace to this travesty of a dumpster fire. She has such range as an actress that there were times when I almost forgot about the shoddy backdrops and painful dialogue and just watched her stretch her acting wings. Season 2 definitely gives her more to do and there is a decided focus on her character. I also warmed up to Dylan Wang's alternate version of Ning Que, which is why I think they could've salvaged season 2 had they kept the preexisting storylines from season 1.
Luckily for those who loved the previous season, Ever Night season 1 stands well on its own. We can just throw this bizzaro alternate universe season 2 straight into the garbage and appreciate what we got in season 1.
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Final episode was Horrible!
I can’t believe i watched all of season 1 and 2, just to get jipped in the final episode. There was no closure, just confusing as hell. It made absolutely no sense. What happened with xiling and tangs war? What happen to fuzi is he coming back? Did sangsang finally become her real self and live happily with ning que? Seems like ning Que got a prettier looking girl now she’s stealing sangsangs man 😂 that’s what i got from the ending. The show must have ran thru all the finances and concluded the show with a janky episode. I hate how so many Chinese dramas end like this. So so so bad. Ruined the whole show for me because of one final episodeWas this review helpful to you?
This is just my opinion.For me season 1 is far more great and epic in everyhing.from cast to the story and music.I wish they not changed the cast.that for me is the real issue with ever night season 2.
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season 1 and 2 differences
After finished watching 2 seasons aka 103 episodes without fail simultaneously, I felt like running a 100 kilometer marathon.So to speak I finally reached to the end of all the episodes. This is the longest drama I ever watched in my life and I swear I would never do this again as his drama causing me many sleepless nights. Now I would like to comment on certain things which is not really logical about these 2 season drama.
1) Major Character personality shift
Yes I do understand every actor / actress should show up their personality potential in their plot role but they need to understand that the foundation left during season 1 had fix their role permanently towards the plot. One thing obvious
is the Tang emperor . His serious face during S1 becomes comedy look on the next season this is totally against the
flow of the story. Nothing would be more appealing than Ning Que itself. He is initially a very dominion with a barbaric
attitude suddenly change to a gentle yet full of humor on S2. it seems there is a disconnection bridge between 2 seasons.
2) Black horse
I think to best explain to myself, this is a magical horse. A horse could travel across a barren dessert without need food or drink. It even had the ability to navigate by itself to a targeted destination without need any input from it's master. This horse is simply exceeding our vehicle's GPS and I would love to have this horse as my driver
3) Fighting skill
Ning Que's fighting ability raise a lot of my eyebrow. Sometimes I guess either he is pretending or not putting his full effort to fight. In many occasions his fighting skill not comparable to Ye Hong Yu yet he can beat Ye Hong Yu's grand master to a point wheelchair bound throughout all his life.
When Ye Hong Yu badly beaten by a mutant inside the wasteland cave, Ning Que able to overcome the mutant's attack.
This shows Ning Que's outburst on fighting skill is too inconsistent. I too discover that when Sang Sang beside him, he shown a weaker side of him. By conclusion he is unable to enhance his fighting skill unless sang sang leaves him far away.
4) Season 2 final episode.
This episode is really hasty done. I think the editor simply out of ideas . First is the Xiling sect. The story ends with loose end. We does not know what would be the outcome for this sect either being totally destroyed or parted on the own evil doings.
The relationship between Ning Que and Heavenly maid is even more ambiguous. It is totally unclear what happen next after the maid changed her mind to become soft hearted again. Actually I need to stress out to the drama producer that they are making a very arrangement mistakes. First the story is very dragging . Too many flashbacks to act as a filler just to buy some time , The final episode to my biggest regret is poorly done. If they can cut all those time consuming scenes while focus on key story I believe the drama would be more pleasant to watch
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This review may contain spoilers
Absolute Light is also Absolute Darkness
Ever Night 2 has ended and I already want to know the continuing story. That’s how good this production is, despite two major set backs. One, they’ve changed the original cast, second the story becomes much darker.Story
In Ever Night Season 2, Ning Que and Sang Sang’s story continues in a world that becomes more hostile every day. Sang Sang gets exposed as the person who will bring eternal night, everyone is out to get her, except for Ning Que and his Academy friends. The whole nation is about to collapse under power struggles, treason and war, and it is up to Ning Que to keep focused on his love, and the world he cares for. It turns out he and Sang Sang are the center of the ultimate power struggle between the goddess of light and the sage master. Will they succeed in saving themselves, and the human world as they know it?
Acting/Cast
Kudos to Dylan Wang. Such a pity he has to cope with an audience that’s expecting the return of Arthur Chen who was teenage boy Ning Que in the flesh in Ever Night Season 1. However, anybody who reads the book will discover Dylan plays the character of Ning Que to a T as well. In the novel, Ning Que changes from a disrespectful teenager with swag to a caring anti-hero who sticks to his one and only purpose in life, Sang Sang. Yes, it’s hard to see him mortified many times, but that’s how it is written in the book, it’s not about him being out of character like some people think.
Ireine Song has to play the biggest character development here, and she delivers. Finally she’s allowed to play her real age, and it shows, she really shines at her wedding scene at the lake.
Music
This series has a beautiful OST. The opening theme of Ever Night is simply epic, perhaps the best Ever Heard.
Rewatch Value
There are parts in this series that I never want to rewatch again. See for yourself and you'll know what I mean. It’s terrible to see the main characters in dire straits. Sang Sang is dying from the cold disease. Ning Que is constantly on the run, more vulnerable than ever, now that he’s afraid of losing Sang Sang. His Devil-May-Care attitude seems gone forever.
Still, this is a hell of a story, full of life lessons, such as Darkness and Light are intertwined, and Love can make you weak, but it makes you strong as well.
The biggest problem is the script, it handles all story lines without making choices. This throws necessary time for character development out of the window.
How to explain in a few episodes that Sang Sang has become a goddess of light, and darkness incarnate, all in one? She has the spirit of Yong Ye and Hao Tian within her, she’s cruel, detached from the world. Still she can’t let go of her human side that is Sang Sang who shared her bed with human Ning Que during their wedding night.
In this drama they let two different characters play Sang Sang’s human and goddess side, which is too confusing imo.
The same goes for Ning Que. How to depict a character development in just a few episodes that goes from a boyish dare devil attitude to an adult personality who’s able to love and care deeply? So the makers should have invested way more time in both characters, now it has been wasted on too many side characters and side stories.
Verdict
If I see Ever Night Season 2 as the Story of NingSang, this series means a lot to me. Dylan Wang plays a great Ning Que, he really becomes the character. I love the chemistry between the adult Ning Que and Sang Sang, they finally look like a pair. And in spite of all the messy Wuxia stories I also liked the master genius Fu Zi, second brother Jun Mo, the quiet strength of Chao and the girl power coming from the Addict Sisters. Go watch it!
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It isn't the cast change; it is the script.
I don't recommend season two - Go out on the finale from season one. By the time you get done with this, the questions you had at the end of season one will be unanswered, and that other dramatic finale will be the only thing you remember from this series. Because from this moment on, this story changes, and becomes an unrecognizable repetitive loop not vested in the original adventure except in title only. It isn't the cast change; it is production without continuity.Season one's characters are regulated to little screen time, if they show up at all. Even, the effects, and choreographed action season-one was loved for, are absent from the screen. The main couple disappear into a cart for 75% of the episodes. I personally think the director just wanted to showcase the character Ye Hong Yu in this season - Pretty visuals, with no invested substance; filler. While, Sang Sang and Ning Que, the female and male leads, became secondary characters by omission.
Where, in the previous season the leads were the highlight of an intricate couple's tale (Sang Sang and Ning Que) of fantasy, revenge, and mystery. I blame production, that took the lively couple, and split them into a triangle, that was as devoid of color as they could paint it. With repetitive scenes, and dialog that sucked life out of a dynamic tale-of-adventure we came to know in season one. It was a waste of time, a waste of talent in 42 more episodes of what should have been amazing. I can't recommend it, not even for closure.
(Watched as aired.)
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The worst drama
A lousy drama directed by a worthless director. The scenes and story plot didn't even match. How did anyone give this drama a 10 rating? Laughable. Those give this drama a 10 are idiots. Story plot kept changing illogically, the director didn't even have big picture of plan how the storyline progress. The screenwriter doing a lousy job in creating story plots and cutting scenes. Story plots just forced it way illogically even though it's clear reasoning of truths in the storyline. The director and screenwriter must be thinking most viewers are idiots, that's why they're not doing their job. Surprisingly, the rating acknowledged it as idiots rated the drama a 10. Conclusion, this drama is a mess up storyline and plots. It doesn't even worth watching.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I am surprised at how many downgraded this great drama because there were changes to the cast. Dylan Wang was great, and frankly, I don't think Arthur Chen would have done as good a job portraying the changed, more adult Ning Que. Viewers who enjoyed the first season of Ever Night should be able to understand that the braggart Ning Que has been changed due to what he's experienced. He's no longer consumed with revenge, but somewhat at a loss now that his goal has been achieved. His cultivation has been weakened following his battle in season 1. He's also not quite sure what to do with the changed reality of Sang Sang. He's realized she means so much more to him than being his natal object- he truly loves her as herself. It was hard to watch both NQ and SS struggle with what was happening to Sang Sang. This was a great telling of the battle between good and evil, of how dangerous fanaticism is, and how we all carry both "light" and "darkness" within us. The question this drama leaves us with is, will we allow the goodness of Sang Sang to prevail, or give in to our baser natures? I certainly hope there is a season 3 to tell us how the battle against the Temple Master goes. The ending of season 2 was definitely NOT "the end." Was this review helpful to you?
Ever Night 1 was one of the best we have watched. The music can drive you mad but the casting was superb and the acting great. Roll on Ever Night 2
A new cast including Dylan Wang as Ning Que. He is probably the worst person they could have chosen to play the part. My wife immediately said how effeminate he was and could not act out the fight scenes. He has no rhythm and his moves have no style whatsoever. Not a patch on Chen Fei Yu who was a great actor and really put his soul into the part. He is a very poor casting and all we can think is that he has relatives in high places who got him the part.
There were other poor casting choices but I guess that's the price you pay for filming so many wuxia series at the same time. The great actors and actresses are in demand and Ever Night 2 got the C team. The one saving grace was Ireine Song, a very talented young lady and a great actress.
As a footnote, we now realise that due to Dylan Wang's lack of acting ability, the director and producer had to adapt the filming to try and cover up. This led to a very slow and boring series with a lead actor who can only scream and shout running around like a demented stick insect.
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Not as good as the ever night
It could have been better if the wagon was not shot in one location. Overall I'm surprised the new actor was good. You can't compare him to Chen because they are two different men.Overall it is good not great as the original Ever Night. It is more of a dragging.
The ending was confusing. I don't understand if the Light became San San at the end or what.
Was San San dreaming?
That part I was confused. It could have been stronger plot. The end was boring.
I would make the story differently.
I could see why Chen would not want to make the sequel when he had better drama to put his effort.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a nice sequel but the plot splits into two storylines with one having Ning Que protecting Sang Sang after her identity is discovered until she ascends into Heaven where her character becomes almost non- existent and out of main characterization, to the other storyline with Ning Que becoming the Tang Empire’s protector while he and the Academy characters take center stage battling enemies of Tang. The last episodes are wasted by Sang Sang trying to humanize the cold and vicious Goddess of Light with whom she shares spiritual energy until, at the very end, the story gives the impression that Sang Sang is going to win the spiritual battle and comes back to Ning Que. Although Dylan Wang does a good job as an older and “more mature” Ning Que, the chemistry between Ning Que and Sang Sang from the first season is amiss. The first part of this season was going well until the main characters get separated. Now, to wait for the third season and hope that Sang Sang and Ning Que will recover the strength and chemistry that their characters had on the first season. Let’s hope! Was this review helpful to you?
Loved it!
First, I want to say that Evernight 2 sound is powerful! I wished they would've started where Evernight 1 ended. I liked the first main lead actor, Arthur Chen. I must say that in Evernight 2 the main lead, Dylan Wang, is doing a fantastic job. I won't compare the two actors because both did an amazing job in portraying Ning Que! Dylan Wang is a little more energetic, the romance and the affection he had with Ireine Son's character Sang Sang. I was wowed! I still can't get over how old Ireine is. Of course, she did amazing in the first season as well as the second season. I fell in love with her acting ability. She is 5ft 2 inches tall (I'm only 5ft 1in) and Arthur Chen and Dylan Wang just towers over her at 6 ft. I love it because that was my life! Not the story life. lolThe costume designs were beautiful especially Emperor Tang's Gold Warrior Armour Costume! Episode 17 and 18 is the best! I feel that fantasy visuals are a lot better than the first season. I mean the visuals were incredibly done. The storyline was very good, I did get taken away with a couple of episodes at the end but kept my focus but anxious to get to the end. Again, I love a drama that brings my emotions to the front, the crying, wanting to put my hand through the screen, I wanted to hug Dylan Wang so many times to comfort him! I won't comment on any other actor because they all did a fantastic job of getting the screenwriter's story. Again, I do have to say you can see the acting abilities and experience of the older generation, I applaud them. Well maybe I will talk about one more actor and that is... Liu Ruo Gu, this kid was so good just in a guest role. I did see a couple of mistakes that the producers may not have caught but I will let that go because the storyline made up for it. Great job everyone and thank you to the whole team of Ever Night 2.
I feel that if you haven't seen the first season, then you must see it before you see season 2 to know the beginning of the two main characters' story and how it began.
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